FOR THE CHALLENGES OF THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY and related underlying large-scale series production, MAPAL has been developing innovations for the entire power train, the combustion engine, the chassis and brakes since the very beginning.
From tool manufacturer to solution provider
1994–2025
MAPAL responds to the requirements of major customers and significantly expands its range of products and services from 1994. From a manufacturer of specialised fine machining tools, MAPAL becomes a provider of complete solutions and production-related services, which accelerate the growth of the family-owned company enormously.
STRATEGICALLY PERFECT GROWTH
In the 1990s, a new trend emerged in the metalworking industry: Instead of transfer lines with large quantities, production is increasingly taking place on machining centres with special tools that can be used flexibly. However, the complete machining of workpieces on machining centres also requires tools that MAPAL did not previously offer. The reamers, boring and fine boring tools produced exclusively at that time only covered a part of the manufacturing process.
With strategic foresight, MAPAL therefore set about completing its product portfolio by acquiring appropriate specialised companies. With the purchase of WWS (1994), Miller (2003), Beck (2004), WTE (2008), WEISSKOPF (2012) and the founding of MAPAL ISOTOOL 1997 (now MAPAL ITS), MAPAL consistently implements this strategy. With success: Especially abroad, where MAPAL is expanding strongly at the same time, the offer of fast and flexible complete solutions from a single source creates significant competitive advantages.
This also applies in particular to new innovative “indirect” services that go far beyond pure tool sales. In 1995, the service component Tool Management Services (TMS) was launched. As part of this and tailored to the respective customer requirements, MAPAL takes on services such as tool storage, -management and -planning, as well as grinding and setting service. And at the highest level of expansion, MAPAL even handles the entire production process, including the provision of personnel at the customer's premises. Tool management is being realised on a large scale for the first time at a new Opel engine plant in Hungary.
In 1996, MAPAL also set up the Tool Expert Teams (TET), which use sophisticated engineering services to plan the customer's production processes, including tool designs as well as deadline and cost targets. The service sector has been continuously expanded at MAPAL since then.
The transition from tool manufacturer to supplier of complete solutions contributes significantly to MAPAL becoming one of the world's leading companies for precision tools from the turn of the millennium.
